Disclosed in the present invention are a method for water-repellent coating treatment of a boron nitride powders and water-repellent treated boron nitride, the method comprising producing a water-repellent coating layer on the surface of the boron nitride powders by plasma treatment using a silicon-containing organic compound containing silicone, wherein the water-repellent coating layer remains on the boron nitride through chemical binding with the boron nitride even after ultrasonic water washing.

A plasma processing apparatus including powered electrodes having elongated planar surfaces; grounded electrodes having elongated planar surfaces parallel to and coextensive with the elongated surfaces of the powered electrodes, and spaced-apart a chosen distance therefrom, forming plasma regions, is described. RF power is provided to the at least one powered electrode, both powered and grounded electrodes may be cooled, and a plasma gas is flowed through the plasma regions at atmospheric pressure; whereby a plasma is formed in the plasma regions. The material to be processed may be moved into close proximity to the exit of the plasma gas from the plasma regions perpendicular to the gas flow, and perpendicular to the elongated electrode dimensions, whereby excited species generated in the plasma exit the plasma regions and impinge unimpeded onto the material.

A system for plasma ignition and maintenance of an atmospheric pressure plasma. The system has a variable frequency alternating current (AC) power source, a transformer, a cable connected to a secondary winding of the transformer, a programmed microprocessor for control of power to the atmospheric pressure plasma. The microprocessor is configured to a) at pre-ignition, power the AC power source at an operational frequency f.sub.op higher than the resonant frequency f.sub.r, b) decrease the operational frequency f.sub.op of the AC power source until there is plasma ignition, and c) after the plasma ignition, further decrease the operational frequency f.sub.op of the AC power source to a frequency lower than the resonant frequency f.sub.r.

In an embodiment a device includes a first housing in which a piezoelectric transformer is arranged and a second housing in which a control circuit is arranged, the control circuit configured to apply an input voltage to the piezoelectric transformer, wherein the piezoelectric transformer is configured to ionize a process medium, and wherein the device is configured to provide a circulating air operation so that the process medium is guided from the piezoelectric transformer through a catalytic converter and then back to the piezoelectric transformer and generate a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma.

A device for producing a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma and an active space including such a device are disclosed. In an embodiment a device includes a first housing, in which a piezoelectric transformer is arranged and a second housing, in which a control circuit is arranged, the control circuit configured to apply an input voltage to the piezoelectric transformer, wherein the first housing comprises a coating configured to eradicate irritant gases.

Described herein are plasma generation devices and methods of use of the devices. The devices can be used for the cleaning of various surfaces and/or for inhibiting or preventing the accumulation of particulates, such as dust, or moisture on various surfaces. The devices can be used to remove dust and other particulate contaminants from solar panels and windows, or to avoid or minimize condensation on various surfaces. In an embodiment a plasma generation device is provided. The plasma generation device can comprise: a pair of electrodes positioned in association with a surface of a dielectric substrate. The pair of electrodes can comprise a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and second electrode can be of different sizes, one of the electrodes being smaller than the other of the electrodes. The first electrode and second electrode can be separated by a distance and electrically connected to a voltage source.

The present invention provides a method of producing a boron nitride containing fluid comprising the steps of: providing boron nitride; oxidising the boron nitride to functionalise the surface of the boron nitride; and dispersing the oxidised boron nitride in a base fluid to produce the boron nitride containing fluid. Associated boron nitride containing fluids and its use are also disclosed.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma generation device 10 of the present invention includes heat sinks 27 and 28. Flow paths are formed in the heat sinks, and cooling gas flows in the flow paths, thereby cooling lower housing 20 in which a reaction chamber is formed. Here, the gas used for cooling is warmed by the heat of the lower housing. The warmed gas is supplied into heated gas supply device 14 and heated by heater 112. The heated gas flows in lower cover 22 and is emitted together with plasma gas from lower cover 22 toward a processing object. Consequently, it is possible to perform cooling of the lower housing heated by electric discharge and perform heating of the processing object, and it is possible to reduce energy required for heating gas.

A system for plasma ignition and maintenance of an atmospheric pressure plasma. The system has a variable frequency alternating current (AC) power source, a transformer, a cable connected to a secondary winding of the transformer, a programmed microprocessor for control of power to the atmospheric pressure plasma. The microprocessor is configured to a) at pre-ignition, power the AC power source at an operational frequency f.sub.op higher than the resonant frequency f.sub.r, b) decrease the operational frequency f.sub.op of the AC power source until there is plasma ignition, and c) after the plasma ignition, further decrease the operational frequency f.sub.op of the AC power source to a frequency lower than the resonant frequency f.sub.r.

The present disclosure discloses an atmospheric-pressure plasma equipment for fabric functional finishing and its application, and belongs to the field of textile printing and dyeing engineering. The atmospheric-pressure plasma equipment, including a discharging system, a grafting instrument and a cloth guider, can conduct continuous plasma treatment on fabrics under an atmospheric pressure, including plasma etching and plasma grafting, which breaks through the disadvantage of batch processing of vacuum plasma equipment. The equipment and method of the present disclosure realize functional finishing of the fabrics in the absence of water, and this finishing process is cost efficient, environmentally friendly, uniform, shorter treatment time and higher reactivity, and applicable to many materials and can keep the bulk properties of the treated substances.